What's Going On With The Gibbs

We've been very busy lately....June-November

2011-12-21T12:00:00.000-08:00

I am the world's worst blogger, and quite a bit has happened since I last posted in June.

In June, we went to Gatlinburg, TN with Jason's extended family. We drove with Jason's sister, her fiance, Jared, his mom Debbie to TN in Marylyn's new SUV. It was a long drive but wasn't unpleasant. The drive was gorgeous and we passed through several states and the scenery was just breathtaking. Jason's grandparents were very gracious to set up a very nice cabin high up in the mountains for us to stay for the entire week. While the view was gorgeous way up there, the drive getting there was nothing short of a heart attack every. single. time. So much so, that we would do whatever we could to only have to make that trek one time a day. It was very steep, with little visibility. But oh the view.....pics to come. We also went white water rafting (which was amazing by the way!) and repelling. Marylyn couldn't do either because she was expecting our nephew (though at the time she didn't know it was a boy) but she was a great sport. When we returned from TN I started doing a bootcamp in our neighborhood. I had actually won a free month at our neighborhood summer luau which was perfect because the girl who runs it and I had been emailing back and forth about me joining and I just happened to win. I really enjoy the class, its fast paced, we never do the same thing and I've lost inches and weight. Her site is http://www.mycommunityfit.com/ Jason also went skydiving with some friends and he was on a high for about a week afterwards. He literally could not stop smiling when he was telling me all about it! I was so happy for him but nervous at the same time. My man is a daredevil. Lord help me if we have boys!

In July we went on our annual river trip to New Braunsfels. We stayed in a nice little house that was right on the water. Next year we hope to possibly get the 8 story (no lie!) house that was directly next door. Floating the river has been a summer tradition for Jason and I for the longest time. We enjoy the relaxed atmosphere with a cold beverage in hand. Oh the memories!

In August, my neighbor (and good friend!) Liz and I went on a girls only trip back to the river with some of her work friends. It was very fun and drama free- my kind of trip! Just a couple weeks later, school started back up for me and we've been going non-stop ever since we started. I have a great bunch of kiddos this year, they're very sweet and thoughtful. I'm not quite as stressed teaching science this year since I have a year under my belt but I'm definitely not a veteran teacher yet. I've got a lot to learn still.

In October, Jason's sister, Marylyn, had a gender reveal baby shower. We were asked to wear blue or pink depending on what we thought the baby was. We all had been thinking she was having a boy this whole time so we all arrived at the party wearing blue. Actually, Jason didn't have a clue one way or the other but that boy would go naked before he would wear pink, so he wore blue as well. The cake they had made was so insanely cute, and as they cut it open the cake was dyed blue. Kaden Mitchell Byrd was on his way! Jason and I ran in the 10 for Texas race that is held in The Woodlands on October 8th. Its a ten mile race that we both had been training for. Jason finished before me but I did continue running the entire time and I was very pleased with that. Jason turned 30 years old on the 14th. We celebrated by going to Taste of Texas with our friends Kyle and Lindsay Silvio, and Brad and Amanda Jones. It was very good food, and even better company. We had a get together at our house with family and friends the weekend of his birthday. We had a great turnout and its just amazing to see how loved we are by so many people.

So thats the latest with us from June through November. Hope I didn't bore you to death! Stay tuned for more....hopefully!

Life Lately

2011-06-06T11:14:00.001-07:00

Well I'm excited to say that I've survived my first year of teaching!!! I have been so blessed to work at Grangerland teaching sixth grade science. My team is amazing and I've built some great friendships from it. I honestly don't know what to do with my new found freedom!! I know I want to get this house in order and organized. The nursery has unfortunately become our drop zone for all things crap! We have several things in there that we'd like to sell on Craigslist and I need to go through the closet and get rid of stuff. So my mission this summer is to organize and remove unneccessary/unloved junk from each room. My goal is to remove 100 items from our house, whether it be little or big, 100 things that we can trash, donate, or give away. I'll keep you posted with pictures!

House Tour Continued~ Dining Room and Entryway

2010-07-28T08:47:00.000-07:00

So I'm continuing the house tour, moving towards the front of the house.

In the dining room, I wanted to go with a warm yellow color and literally played around with 5 or more shades. It looked crazy when we were building the house (we were fortunate enough to get Jason's painter to paint the entire house all the different colors that we liked). We ended up going with Golden Lab by Benjamin Moore, I think its the exact shade I was going for. We got this table from World Market, and we've been really happy with it. Its great quality and we've gotten a ton of compliments on it. Got a great deal on it and all the chairs/bench too! There is a sideboard/buffet that I'd like to get to go on the back wall. I'll put our china and other large decorative pieces in it to free up some cabinet space in our kitchen. I've been collecting white dishes/serving platters because I'd like to hang them on the wall above the sideboard. Maybe a lamp and a wine caddy too. The curtains are from Ikea, they're a white linen and I like how they're nice and long. I also like how they pool on the floor though Sawyer thinks they're a nice pillow for him. Ugh! Plus they were free! Yep, you read that right! Free! They were in my cart at Ikea and I looked at the receipt on the way home and saw that she never rang them up. Oh well, her mistake and that place is WAY too far away for me to drive back there. I think I may want to do some wainscotting or maybe board and batten in here to keep it light and airy with the yellow walls and white curtains/chairrail/plates on the wall. I just don't want it to get dark in there with the table and sideboard. The rug is Pottery Barn and came from my lovely husband, he's got great taste!

The entryway is just really simple but I've been wanting this bench and shelf for forever now! We got the baskets as a wedding gift so they had been sitting around for 2.5 years. We use it to hold shoes, magazines and other odds and ends. Im sure it will be more full with stuff once we have a baby. For now, it serves as a dropping off spot for friend's purses or diaper bags. This rug came from Pottery Barn as well, Jason got it for me! He loves me!

House Tour

2010-06-12T15:48:00.000-07:00

So last August, Jason and I moved into our new home. We were very fortunate to be able to have Jason build it through his company. We were able to make any changes that we wanted to the house and it saved us like 50K, Holla! We both have LOVED this floor plan since we first started dating and Jason started working with this company. I'm so blessed to now be in it almost a year later. Dreams really do come true!

Here are some pictures of what we've done so far to the house.

This is one of the guest bedrooms as you first walk into it. Jason's mom sleeps in here when she comes to visit.

This is our new dresser from IKEA, it was fun putting it together because IKEA doesn't include any words in the directions, just pictures. No...really, I'm being serious! It was quite the adventure because I'm super anal and wanted to make sure it was done correctly!

I'll have to download the rest of the pictures of the house onto the computer, I wish I knew how to do like a slide show or something. I guess if I spent more time on this blog then I would know how to do that. More posts to come of the different parts of the house....patience people, two posts in ONE day is miraculous!

Our sweet Goddaughter, Brianna Madison

2010-06-12T15:41:00.000-07:00

Jason and I were asked to be the Godparents of Brianna at our housewarming party. We were so shocked and honored to be asked to do that. We love Brianna so much and proudly tell others, "we're her Godparents!". Brianna decided to come a little early, she wasn't due until around November 7th, but decided she was ready to come October 28th. She is just gorgeous and we love her to pieces!

Here is a picture of Brianna when she came to visit one night. We wish we could keep her overnight more often. She's growing too fast!

Has it really been almost an entire year!

2010-06-12T15:34:00.000-07:00

Goodness, am I a horrible blogger or what?!?! I can't believe its almost been an entire year since I've made an entry. For the longest time, all of the blogs I've read have been of friends of ours who have children, crafting/decorating blogs, or recipe blogs. I have thought for the longest time, "why would I want to blog, I have nothing important going on in my life, no kids, etc" so essentially I didn't blog. Boy, have I been wrong. Since my last entry I have moved into a gorgeous home, graduated from college, celebrated three wonderful years with my amazing husband, become a Godmother to the sweetest baby ever and plenty more. So here is to a new change, a change of me blogging more than just once a year. So, here we go~!

I've been looking everywhere for this little guy!

2009-07-29T06:38:00.000-07:00

When I say 'everywhere' I mean it, literally! I have been wanting to find some sort of cabinet for the powder room for extra toilet paper, girly things, etc. I needed something that was tall, not

too deep, and somewhat wide. I would have liked for this to be a little wider, but I think it will get the job done. The wall color will be a green color, the painters just haven't gotten around to it yet. I never thought I'd be so excited about finding a bathroom cabinet, but I am!

Dining Room

2009-07-22T18:20:00.000-07:00

In our dining room we are painting the walls a warm, buttery yellow (Golden Lab). We already have a 5' x 8' rug that we are pulling the yellow out of and using it as our inspiration.

We would like to get this table and buffet from World Market after we close sometime. The table is a trestle style and we both love the rustic charm that is holds. There is also a leaf in the center that extends the table from within~ meaning we don't have to store the leaf somewhere in the house because it is right within the table. It kind of is hidden underneath, hard to explain. I know!

Ideas Ideas!!!

2009-07-22T18:15:00.000-07:00

So lately since I've got the house closing soon I have been thinking of how I'm going to decorate the house.

In the laundry room we are doing Buxton Blue from Benjamin Moore. I found this cute vinyl adhesive to go above the laundry door (when standing inside the laundry room)

I would also like to do a photo collage with black and white prints. I have some great black frames that I got a Garden Ridge forever ago so I'll most likely just use those.

We have stainless steel front loaders and Jason had his workers install a white cabinet with a rod for drying clothes. Jason and I really like the color blue so I thought I could get away with painting this room a shade of blue.

A super easy, super delicious recipe

2009-07-22T17:54:00.000-07:00

So tonight we had this really good crockpot dinner. I love my crockpot to pieces, like literally when I walk in the door and the smell of my dinner greets me at the door...I'm in love!
So tonight's dinner is Salsa Chicken....its literally so easy that I have the recipe memorized...Now if that doesn't scream easy, I don't know what will.
So here it is..
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 can cream of mushroom soup (I use the 98% fat free kind, and you can't tell the difference)
1 packet of taco seasoning (I use the low sodium one)
1 cup of salsa

place chicken breasts on the bottom of crockpot, sprinkle taco packet on top, add mushroom soup and salsa. cook on low for 6-8 hours. THAT'S IT!!!
We usually cook brown rice and serve the salsa chicken over the rice.

So long since I've blogged

2009-07-22T17:50:00.000-07:00

I know its been forever since I've last blogged. Truly a lot has happened since the last time I made an entry. I completed two classes in summer school and got As in both classes. They were easy and I had a great time with all of my pioneers in our ONLY middle level education class. Again, how will I be certified to teach 6th grade? Hmmm......
Jason is also staying super busy with our house it looks so gorgeous and I'm going to have to upload some pictures soon. We are going to visit Jason's family including his grandparents who live in Midland. We don't see them often enough and we are really looking forward to this little getaway.

Happy Second Anniversary Sweetheart!

2009-05-19T06:58:00.001-07:00

Jason, Happy Anniversary!
Can you tell me where these past two wonderful years have gone? It seems like only yesterday we were celebrating with champagne in the back of a candy apple red 1968 Buick Electra 225~ affectionately named 'The Duece'. I love you so much sweetie and I'm honored that you chose me as your wife. I can't wait to grow old with you!
Of course, I can't get a wedding photo on here because I can't find the disk and the pictures I'm taking of the pictures (follow me there?) are blurry and don't do our photographer justice. Oh well...

It's been awhile!

2009-05-15T09:16:00.000-07:00

I know its been awhile, I've been up to quite a bit. What you ask? Well I survived my Methods semester, at times I wasn't exactly sure how I would do, but I did it and grades should post by early next week. I also got a 2+ (out of 3) on my mini TWS. My professor that graded it said I could have a solid three if I had a little bit more evidence for some of the pieces in my TWS, but next year when I do the real thing, I'll be working with 2nd graders which is hopefully much easier to assess than kindergartners.
Another fun fact since I've last blogged is that Jason and I are building our own house. We are really really excited and it should be finished middle to late September. Its a two story, four bedrooms, and two and a half baths. Our lot has a ravine behind it, so we're fortunate enough to never have a house behind ours. Plus, we are within walking distance from our backyard of the creek~which Sawyer will love and Jason has been mentioning that he wanted to get a kayak, maybe we'll have a real reason to get one now.

My Husband Rocks Friday

2009-05-15T09:11:00.000-07:00

Yeah, I know, its been like months since I've posted a MHR post. It's not because my husband doesn't rock, because he seriously does, I guess I just let it get away from me.

Well this week....my husband rocks because he's made this entire process of building our own home a complete breeze. Granted, we haven't really even broke ground yet but he's made all of the necessary phone calls and gotten all of the necessary paperwork together that I've been able to sit back and mull over which tile or granite I prefer. I love you Jason for being so knowledgeable in your work and for letting me be at ease about the whole building process. I know you build a tight house so I'm not in the least bit worried about how our house will turn out. I love you so much!

My Easter Basket!

2009-05-15T09:07:00.000-07:00

Jason was super sweet this year and filled my basket with lots of goodies, most of which don't cost a single dime. Inside my cute eggs are 'coupons' to be cashed in. Some examples are 'date at the ice cream parlor' (see post below), 'dish duty', '30 minute massage' 'breakfast in bed', 'car detail' '1 week of no homework'.
My man is so sweet to me! I love you Jason!

Date to the Ice Cream Parlor

2009-04-26T14:31:00.000-07:00

I cashed in one of my many cute Easter gifts from Jason. We went to Marble Slab on Friday night and I loved every bit of it! Jason stuck with his usual....vanilla with chocolate chips. I, on the other hand, love to experiment. I got vanilla cinnamon ice cream with heath bar mixed in. It was divine, but you know what was even better? The company.

Martha's Easter Eggs

2009-04-11T10:56:00.000-07:00

I watched a very cool episode of the Martha Stewart show this week about Easter decorations. She did silk-dyed Easter eggs and I was amazed. Maybe by this time next year, we'll have a house and I will have a larger kitchen to do this great craft in. We have absolutely no kitchen space.
Check it out!
http://www.marthastewart.com/article/silk-dyed-easter-eggs?autonomy_kw=easter%20eggs&rsc=header_7

blog tutorial

2009-03-30T11:00:00.000-07:00

okay, even though i've had a blog for quite some time now, i still know diddly squat about posting pictures, etc.

can someone please tell me why my captions are off to the sides of my pictures? i've gone back to the edit posts section and have added numerous spaces between the images and it continues to do this.. it is very frustrating.

thanks in advance!

Oh Lilly, how I love thee....

2009-03-21T10:48:00.000-07:00

So I've loved Lilly Pulitzer for several years now but lately I've been wanting all things Lilly. I read a blog several days ago stating that her local T.J.Maxx had some cute Lilly items, and with that line being so expensive I thought "Yippee!".

I present to you my latest Lilly steal...

Even the box is cute!

There is a cloth Lilly print enclosure for taking my sandals on vacation. (Wouldn't want to get my clothes dirty!)

Oh Lilly, you always pay attention to the details!

and the best part of these sandals? they retail for $138 and I got them for.....

That's right! Only 40 clams! Sorry for the nasty scuff marks on the bottom, you don't honestly think I could wait to wear these bad boys, did you?

Please tell me this is a joke...

2009-03-19T13:39:00.000-07:00

Since St. Patty's Day was this week, I thought I'd include a link of some pretty funny news coverage. I'm just going to leave it at that. Check it out for yourself...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nda_OSWeyn8

So sorry, So excited

2009-03-18T12:04:00.000-07:00

Okay, I'm sorry I have been so bad at blogging lately. I have been so overwhelmed with school and my camera has been acting very funny right now so I don't have any new pictures.

I did want to say that I'm so excited! What about, you ask? Well, I just found out that I got placed in Conroe ISD for my student teaching next semester. It's the district I wanted and I'm so thrilled.

I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel!

I'm going to try and be very productive with homework so that I can update this blog in my 'free' time....ha!

Happy Birthday Daddio!

2009-02-25T06:47:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday Dad! My incredible Dad celebrated 56 wonderful years of life on the 23rd, I decided I wanted to make him a cake to celebrate since he is absolutely the hardest person to shop for. He loves Strawberries so I decided that I'd go all out with his cake. Overall it was pretty good, though very rich. I got the recipe from Hyper Homemaker's cooking blog 'Good Things Catered' I highly recommend checking out that blog.
My Dad is my hero; he is always looking out for the well being of his family. Growing up my life was pretty consumed with volleyball and my dad made a very conscious effort to make it to as many games as he could. Thinking back on it now, I don't really remember many games that he did miss. He and my mom were my biggest fans and always supported me in whatever I was doing. I love you Daddio and I hope that you had a great birthday... I'm sure you did 'cause you got an iPhone out of it!!!!

This is a picture of the cake I made him using his new toy, the iPhone, it takes pretty good pictures, wouldn't you say? I should have taken one from a different angle but I didn't think about it. BTW, I used Milano cookies instead of ladyfingers, it was delish!

Our conversation last night

2009-02-23T09:46:00.000-08:00

Jason and I have the funniest conversations sometimes when we are in bed trying to relax and fall to sleep. We were talking about what we think one of our friends' babies will look like. Here is last nights' convo...
J: "Probably blue eyes and lots of blonde hair just like the dad"
A: "Well if our babies have curls, then I'm never cutting their hair....ever"
long pause....
J: "Wait, what if we have a boy?"
A: "Oh, I'm not cutting his either, not until he's like four or something, I'll just be too heartbroken to chop off those curls, I'll cry like a baby"
J: "Um, okay but we're gonna have to go ahead and get those tears out, okay?"
A: "What do you mean?"
J: "Our son is not having long, gay hair"

Well there you go, our sons will not have long hair, curls or no curls. Though, I highly doubt our babies will have curls since Jason's hair is stick straight and mine was straight until I hit puberty. I guess time will only tell.

Sawyer helps Daddy workout!

2009-02-11T18:29:00.000-08:00

Sawyer is very much a 'velcro dog' meaning he has to be everywhere we are. Here is a perfect example of him 'helping' Daddy get a workout on. He is so intrigued by what J is doing.

Amazing group of friends

2009-02-07T08:40:00.000-08:00

Jason and I are so fortunate to be apart of our Life Group. They are a bunch of amazing couples and they truly are awesome. So awesome that I received a letter in the mail from a great gal in our group. She's so great and I'm so pathetic because I still to this day haven't taken a moment to call her and thank her properly. The note is sitting right here at my desk waiting for me to pick up the telly and call her. So since I'm so lame, I figured I'd make a post about it. This gal is so encouraging and a great model of an amazing Christian wife and mother. She (and the others) are a great testament to me and they help me to strive and be the best Christian and wife I can be to Jason. Thank you Lindsay, your note really was the best thing I received that week and it meant a lot to me that you took the time to sit down and write me a very encouraging note. Thanks Ladies, you all are amazing!

My Husband Rocks Friday

2009-02-06T13:56:00.000-08:00

Well my friend April *see The Landes on my friends and family section* does a segment on her blog every Friday (or almost every) about her husband Matt. I think this is a great idea because most husbands do so much for their families and don't usually get any credit for it. Jason is one amazing man, I wonder everyday how I'm the one who scored him. He does the sweetest things for me pretty often and I don't usually acknowledge it as much as I should. Well this past week I was frustrated with our apartment being messy and just feeling like I can never get it cleaned (thanks to our newest addition). Well on Wednesday night Jason and I went to Coldstone, he knows that I love ice cream and he isn't much for going out and getting sweets. I got cake batter with sprinkles and he stuck with chocolate with chocolate chips. We even had a coupon so it was a cheap dessert date!

Then last night he told me that he would clean the kitchen. I have to admit, usually when he says that I think to myself "okay well he'll clean it now, but i'll have to really clean it later". I hate that about me, I'm a perfectionist and it really gets to Jason, I know that and I'm trying to work on that. But last night he told me he'd clean up the dishes and clean the kitchen. I was just relaxing watching some shows on DVR and when I got up to put away my glass at the end of the night, my kitchen was clean. I have to admit, he did a better job than I would have done. He had handwashed the pots and had even put them away. I have a bad habit of washing them but letting them airdry which means a rag on the counter with several pots resting on it.

It may not seem like a lot to some, but for me, it was perfect. I'm a simple girl, though J says otherwise! It's the little things that matter to me and I love you for it. So, there's my first MHR post. Even if I have nothing else to write about during the week I hope I can stick with a post every Friday about the sweet things my man does for me.

Dog Park

2009-02-06T13:05:00.000-08:00

Since we got Sawyer we've taken him to the dog park on a pretty regular basis. We try to get there at least once a week because we feel very strongly about socializing him early and putting him in every kind of situation he can be in. He absolutely loves that place, he doesn't even care that he's one of the smallest dogs either. I'll try and get some pictures, or better yet, a video of him there. Needless to say, he has to have a bath when we get home. Every. single. time. He rolls around in the dirt and it's quite a sight. We're going on Saturday, so stay tuned....

Our little guy isn't so little anymore :(

2009-02-06T12:37:00.001-08:00

Well Sawyer is growing like a weed, in one month's time he gained 10 pounds, he's really a lot of fun. Especially since we don't have to get up in the night anymore, man those weeks were hard!

This is what our little guy does best~SLEEP~ and what do you know, he has to be right at my feet at all times. I'm sitting at the desk now and he's right under me.

Here he is using this rag as a pillow, can you see how long he's getting?

I just had to throw this one in, when Sawyer gets a little too rough 'mouthing' or what we call biting with razors (because that is what his teeth feel like) Jason puts him on his back and holds him in place and puts him in his place! It really is quite funny because it works like a charm, it doesn't hurt him at all and he won't make eye contact with Jason when he's doing it to him. Then when Jason lets go of him, Sawyer will come over and will lick him constantly like 'I know, Dadda, I'm sorry I was playing too rough with you, please forgive me'. Its the cutest thing.

Last night, as Jason was cleaning up the dishes from dinner we suddenly couldn't find S. Jason looked in the dining room area and there was our little man, sleeping under the tower to our entertainment center. He can just barely fit under it and he seems to be utilizing it every minute he can until he can't fit under there anymore. Of course, when I walked over to get my camera he woke up, but isn't this just hilarious?

'Oh, Momma, did you want to take my picture? I'll pose for you now'

Little pup, you have grown so much in the short time that we've had you. You have brought us so much joy. We love you!

Starting Point Baby Shower

2009-02-06T12:32:00.000-08:00

While I don't have any pictures to prove I was there at April's baby shower, I can say that I had a great time! I'm ashamed that its taken me this long to actually attend one but I did have a lot of fun. April got some goodies and we also had another member of our Life Group give birth while we were there (well she was in the hospital~of course!) Avery Morgan was born Saturday, January 31st. She is absolutely beautiful and I love the name. Congratulations Josh and Michelle!

World's Worst Blogger

2009-02-06T12:31:00.000-08:00

I know, I know, I'm a horrible blogger. I get online every single day and have several blogs that I follow daily. I just personally think that my life is boring so what is there to fill you guys in on? Hmmm, I better get thinking and I'll try to get better at this whole blogging thing!

new year's resolution

2009-01-08T10:36:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I did great with my new year's resolution. I started the day with a bowl of fat free activia yogurt and some organic yogurt, along with an orange. I didn't eat bad all day, when I needed a snack I turned to an apple with peanut butter (for protein) and later in the day to some organic cereal (not sure on the name but its the organic version of lucky charms- and its pretty tasty too!)
I ran some errands during the morning so that Sawyer can get used to spending time in his kennel. Later that afternoon I ran for an hour straight. My goal was to get 6 miles in or more since my goal for the marathon is to finish within a reasonable amount of time. I would like to finish in 2 hours or maybe a little over, hopefully no longer than 2 hours 15 minutes. We'll see on the 18th! So anyways, I was only able to get in 5.25 due to some stomach issues. I have a really sensitive stomach when it comes to running, for some reason after a couple of miles I get really bad cramps like I need to go. Any and all help would greatly be appreciated. It probably didn't help that I needed to pee the second I began running and I was holding my camelback bottle full of water- which probably weighed 2 pounds or more~ my forearms were tired after running from holding the bottle the whole time!
Anywho, thats what I've been up to....Plus, biggest loser began on Tuesday, J and I love that show. I'm hoping that is motivation for me as well!

Oh, Sawyer!

2009-01-08T10:28:00.000-08:00

Okay, so I'm in a much better mood than I was the other day when I wrote my post on being frustrated. Sawyer has been doing so well, he rarely soils his kennel now, I'm thinking it has a lot to do with moving it into our bedroom (I really didn't want to do this, but we weren't getting any sleep and I was having to constantly bathe him). He seriously cracks me up. He has so much fun playing with us, but I secretly thinks he enjoys playing with himself more. All day he will play with his toys, or chase/bite his tail. I have always wanted a dog that was fascinated by their own tail, and he sure does love his. Many times when I'm playing with him, his tail will just be sopping wet from him biting on it all day. While playing with him a couple of minutes ago, he discovered his long, floppy ears. He kept trying to lean his head over so that he could put his ear in his mouth. It was quite a site to see. I'll leave you guys with some of the latest pictures. Who could resist this face, look at those ears!

Frustration!

2009-01-07T12:08:00.000-08:00

That is what I've been feeling most of this week. This has been my last week off before school is in full swing again- 16 hours including my Content Methods Semester. I have really wanted to take this time to get super organized with my school paperwork, laundry and just everything else really. Between this puppy and freaking out with the marathon in less than two weeks I haven't made any progress, or at least it doesn't look like I've made any progress. It seems like all I've been doing lately is laundry, and when the dryer is constantly peeping at my I'm still trying to finish putting away the previous load....it's a vicious cycle that is leaving me frustrated! We were able to get the spare bedroom and bathroom cleaned and ready for Marylyn on Sunday but the desk, our bedroom, the laundry, and our bathroom just seem neglected.
Now that I'm thinking about it, as Sawyer sleeps at my feet I better get busy...

workout update

2009-01-02T19:41:00.000-08:00

Hey there! So today is Day Two of Jillian Micheals 'The Shred'. Basically its a 30 day program with three different levels of intensity. You do 10 days of level one, then 10 days of level two, and finally 10 days of level three. After thirty days, if you've been working out consistently with the dvd and eating right you should have lost some weight and inches all over. I'm a little disappointed in myself, I used to be in such great shape- where did that body go? I'm over here huffing and puffing with Jillian and this is only level one?!?!?! What am I getting myself into? Oh yeah, that's right all of my size 4 clothes. I'm tired of having a vast array of sizes in my closet and not sure which ones fit, only to be in a hurry in the mornings to realize that only about 3 pairs of dress slacks actually look good on me. New year....new me! I'm tired of that old lethargic body, plus the Houston Marathon is on the 18th!...eek!

Happy New Year!

2009-01-01T07:07:00.000-08:00

Well Happy New Year everyone!! Jason and I had a great time hanging out with some great friends last night. We liked that it was very laid back and relaxing. Wow...2009 is here, where the heck did 2008 go? We are very much looking forward to what 2009 holds. We've got a new puppy that is going to change and grow so much, hopefully a home will be in store for us (oct.ish) we'll just have to see what the economy looks like this year. One of the biggest things that we're looking forward to is my graduation!!! It is a day that I have been looking forward to that day for a long time now. Overall, we are just very hopeful for 2009. Jason has mentioned that he's a little worried about his job seeing as the market is supposed to get worse before it gets better; but we've just decided that it is in God's hands and whatever his plan is for us, we are okay with. I'm not sure we could do that without the faith we have in our Savior and without the great friendships we have been so lucky to have created with those in our Life Group, thank you guys!

My personal challenge

2008-12-29T08:28:00.000-08:00

Well with the new year approaching, I figured I better get my new year's resolutions and goals in order. Just some of my goals are to become a better blogger and to lose some weight....20 pounds to be exact. I'd like to tone and firm up all over and to just be more healthy overall. I'm going to try and incorporate them together and blog about my workouts and my progress...So here's to a new year and a new me!

Great news!

2008-12-29T08:19:00.000-08:00

Well now that school is over and grades are posted I can finally reveal that I made the President's list again this semester! I'm so excited and even more excited that I only have three more semesters left (spring, summer 1, and fall). I'm really proud of my hard work and now know that it paid off. I hope this next semester is as successful since we now have a new puppy that demands a lot of attention as well. Thanks for every one's support, you all mean the world to me.

He's finally home!!

2008-12-29T08:02:00.000-08:00

Sawyer has been home for 3 days now. We picked him up on Saturday and the breeders are the sweetest family. He has done exceptionally well throughout all of the transitions. He did not whine the entire way home, which was a long drive for J and I since we left the house at 5:30 that morning. I couldn't sleep and got up at 4:15 to get showered and to get my day going . He only whined a little bit the first night when we first put him in his kennel and then again in the morning to let us know that he needed to get outside, quick!
However, he DOES NOT like his leash.....at. all. He hates it, we're hoping that the more we have him on it the better he will get with it. He sleeps a lot, and loves to be very close. There have been several times when we can't find him and we'll start looking everywhere. He'll just be snug right behind our backs (against the sofa) or another favorite spot is to be snuggling in our laps. He has brought Jason and I so much joy these last couple of days.
On Saturday when we brought him home we went over to my parents' house because they have two corgis and we'd like to get them acquainted right away. Logan and Lexi really want nothing to do with Sawyer but its so cute to see him play around with them. He pounces and runs around in circles trying to entice them to play with him, but they still aren't interested.
Last night, Jason and I took S-man to go visit 'uncle Wes' and 'aunt Becky' they've got two dogs as well, Maggie and Zoe. Sawyer was a little hesitant at first because since he had just been with Logan and Lexi he wasn't sure what to think of these two girls. Zoe did great and was very gentle with him, even when Sawyer confused her tail with a weasel toy we was playing with earlier that day at my parents' house. All in all, we love him and couldn't imagine our lives without him. Here are some pictures!

On our drive home, we had just got in the car and he wasn't sure what to think just yet.

It's tiring being this cute!

Our family is growing by 4 feet!

2008-12-15T10:49:00.000-08:00

You read that right, and no we are not expecting some giant child~ we're expecting a furry little four-legged furbaby! We are so excited, it truly feels like we are anticipating the birth of our child. Though, I'm sure we'll be even more excited when that finally rolls around. We currently have 12 days until he greets us with his presence. I've got several pictures from the breeder that I'll include. He seems to change a little bit with every picture. Most of the shots that she's taken have been of the whole litter (or most of it). Her dog had 12 puppies with this litter. I guess I need to include the important stuff like his stats....

We are naming him Sawyer. He is a 'golden irish'- the dad is a golden retriever and the mom is an irish setter. He should be between 50-70 pounds full grown. We hear he's a lover~ the breeder says that she can always find him right at her feet ready and waiting for attention. She also said that he is so sweet, a big snuggler, and he 'whines and wimpers' while on his back stretching out. I'll leave you with some heart warming pictures of our little one...

It's Still Christmas

2008-12-15T10:46:00.001-08:00

Yesterday, Jason and I went with his family and our friends Wes and Rebecca to our church's annual Christmas program. This year was a little different than years past and our church held an offering for a church family from San Leon, Tx. The show was great, lots of great singing and we were able to see friends from our Life Group. You all did wonderful and looked so beautiful in your holiday attire. Thanks guys for joining us for a great show. We love you all so much.

5 down...1 more to go

2008-12-15T10:37:00.000-08:00

I'm almost finished with the semester and I can't wait! I only have one more final to go on Thursday at 8am sharp! Wish me luck...I'll post my grades once I'm finished. I'm hopeful that they're good..

Respect the Turkey!

2008-11-24T16:26:00.000-08:00

I've heard this so much lately, but to be quite honest...the Gibbs household has already begun decorating for Christmas. I just see it as Thanksgiving is so late this year that it gives us more time to celebrate our favorite time of year. Plus, we'll have to take down all of our decorations (or at least our tree) the day after Christmas, but that's another post!

Here is our beautiful, artificial 9ft. slim tree. This will be my 'beautiful' tree when we finally get into our house. I've always wanted a pretty tree and then a tree with traditional ornaments and ones that our children make, etc.

While we only have one 'present' under the Christmas tree so far, I think it says it all. I found this beauty at our church's annual Winter Wonderland. I fell in love with it instantly and knew I just had to have it!

Fall Cleaning Challenge Pictures...Finally!

2008-11-24T16:08:00.000-08:00

A couple of weeks ago I mentioned the Fall Cleaning Challenge from 'The Hyper Homemaker' blog that I follow. Well now that I've found my camera cord, I'm posting pictures.

Before... I warn you, it's pretty scary

And After... now that is much, much better

Now, I'm wondering why I'm still shocked at how empty our fridge is. Everyone's blog that I've looked at after doing the 'cleaning of the fridge' from the FCC had a bare fridge to show for their hard work. I don't even have the essentials anymore- milk, eggs-nada. Wait, you probably notice the egg carton there, well don't let it fool you, there's only one huevo in there! I better get shopping!

New Background!!

2008-11-22T20:09:00.000-08:00

Okay, I know it's not even Thanksgiving, but with Thanksgiving being so late this year I thought I would change the background and get into the spirit of Christmas!! I love Christmas time!!

More posts to come soon!!!

Oh yeah, for those two people that actually read my blog- I will have pictures coming up soon. I couldn't for the life of me find the cord to connect my camera to my computer. Well, what do you know, after organizing the past couple of days (pics to come!) I have found it! So there is no need to not have pictures now!!! I'll post extra ones for you, Margaret!

Things I'm loving in November

2008-11-10T20:13:00.000-08:00

Well I've been reading several blogs and I've seen quite a few of them write about things that they are currently loving. It's a great way for them to share great products they've discovered, books they've read, or anything good in general....So I've decided to throw some things of my own in the mix. Here it goes..

Land-O-Lakes Hot chocolate...this stuff is amazing, and addicting. It comes in many flavors: Amaretto, French Vanilla, Mint, Hazelnut...you get my drift. Well I've had the French Vanilla and the Mint and ooh, la, laa....it's awesome! Who needs Starbucks when you've got this! Plus a little whipped cream and voila!! So long, $4.67 per drink at Spendbucks!

Bare Bare Escentuals Buxon Lip Gloss in Dolly...this stuff is amazing-a little pricey at $18 but completely worth it. My friend Rebecca got me hooked on it. It's got this cooling sensation which feels great, plus who couldn't use a little extra plump action...okay, well maybe Angelina is good to go in that department but still. Check it out the next time you're at the mall, I highly recommend it!

Henri Bendel "Firewood" candle from Bath & Body Works. This candle smells great; it reminds me of camping outdoors- which ultimately remind me of a good friend of mine Christina and the annual camping trips we would take together as kids. I miss and love you so much, girl!

I'm currently reading "The Wednesday Letters" Its a great, easy read which is exactly what I need at the end of the day. The author is Jason Wright and he's also got a Christmas book out called "Christmas Jars", which I'm defintely going to look into when I finish this one.

For those of you hosting Thanksgiving...

2008-11-06T07:28:00.001-08:00

I just found this handy little tool on 'The Hyper Homemaker' (see link in Friends and Family to right) Hope it helps you guys, it certainly helped me- I could never remember this before!
Here are also a few fun tricks I learned as a child:
FORKS: The order for the table setting left to right is:
F = fork
O = the shape of the plate
R = reversal of the..
K = knives
S = spoons.

Pick up your hands and make an "OK" sign with your fingers. Put your 3 remaining fingers together and you get the shape of a "b" on your left hand and a "d" on your right hand.
b = the side of the table setting the bread plate goes on
d = the side of the table setting the drinks go on

Place settings vary by occasion and menu, and the diagrams below illustrate standard ways to set the table for casual, informal or formal events.

Casual Table Setting:A typical setting, the fork is on the left while the knife and spoon are placed to the right of the plate. The napkin is placed to the left of the plate and the fork may or may not be on top of the napkin. The knife blades always face the plate. The bread plate and butter knife are optional.

Informal Table Setting:This is a common setting for restaurants. It includes utensils for a soup course, salad course, entree and dessert. The dessert spoon or fork could be placed horizontally about the top of the plate, or brought with the dessert.

Formal Table Setting:This place setting is set for a menu of appetizer, soup or fruit course, fish course, entree and salad. There can be up to five glasses at the setting for water, red wine, white wine, champagne, and sherry.

Six Weeks Left!

2008-11-06T06:57:00.000-08:00

Yep, you read that right. I only have six weeks left of this dreadful semester. Overall, it really hasn't been too bad. I just got a little overwhelmed about 3 weeks ago when I had EVERYTHING due the same week, plus three tests...yeah- it was nuts!
I have no class today so I'm trying to get caught up on all of my reading. Here's to a rainy Thursday of getting caught up.

Fall Cleaning Challenge

2008-11-06T06:41:00.000-08:00

Hey gals,

Check out this blog on keeping your home clean. While I only live in a two bedroom apartment, I do find it hard to keep it clean all of the time. This blog breaks it down and makes the tasks manageable. I hope it is of assistance to you all. I'll try and figure out how to post pictures soon so I can document my progress. Here's to no more clutter!

Fall is here!!!

2008-09-24T14:08:00.000-07:00

So, if you can't tell by my overusage of the exclamation points, I LOVE FALL. I love everything about it, and it seriously gets me so giddy just thinking about it. Although, thinking about it now makes me wish I could go visit Boston (or some other city in that area) around this time. I would love to just be able to experience a true fall, and visiting there at this time would allow me to enjoy the crisp weather before it gets freezing up there.

Well since Monday was the first official day of fall, Jason and I have begun a tradition that we hope to continue for many years to come. On Autumnal Equinox (fancy word for first day of fall!), we bake pumpkin bread. Jason's dad, Steve, used to make it all the time. He was an amazing cook and we miss him dearly. While the recipe calls for pumpkin and helps us get into the fall season with its delicious smells arising from the oven, I see it more as a way to remember my awesome father-in-law. I look forward to the days when Jason and I can cook this recipe (and his others too) with our children and tell them about their wonderful Grandfather. We can't wait to teach them about him and to let his legacy live on.
Welcome Fall.....

IKE

2008-09-24T14:02:00.000-07:00

'Take a hike-IKE!'....'Hunker down'...'IKE-inator'..okay, I made up that last one, but seriously, we've heard 'em all and quite frankly I'm tired of IKE. Even though he's been gone for almost 2 weeks now, we still don't have power. Yeah, you read that right, Jason and I don't have power and aren't even scheduled to get it back until Sunday. Can you believe that? We will have been without power for over 2 full weeks once Sunday comes. Needless to say, we're ready for it. It's amazing how much you depend on electricity, and how much you miss it when its been taken from you. Luckily, my dad has a huge generator and we've been able to stay over here for the time being. I'm sure they're ready to get us out, but they've said nothing such. We are seriously so grateful, as we all know how tempers flair when people are hot. Good thing we didn't have to experience that! Thank you MOM and DAD for putting up with Jason and I, brother Jason, Granny and Aunt Becky too. We love you so much!

Pretty boring around here...

2008-09-24T13:58:00.000-07:00

Well, life in the Gibbs' household is pretty boring. I have officially started up with school again and I am STRESSED OUT! I am taking 16 hours and 9 of those hours are reading block. I'm excited to be in the last semesters of school, but nervouse at the same time. I have tons of reading to stay on top of and many projects for all of my classes. I can hardly believe that we're almost finished with September. I must remember to take this semester one week at a time.

Babies, babies, and more babies!

2008-07-07T13:58:00.000-07:00

Everyone I know is pregnant! Well, not really everyone, but pretty close at least!!
~My best friend Heather, is due to have her son Kade Michael on August 27th.
~Our roommates Chad and Christy are 11 weeks pregnant with their baby.
~James and Tiffeny had Kayla Ann at the end of April.
~Several different couples from our Sunday school class, Starting Point, are pregnant or have just had their babies.
*The Smiths had Madelyn Paige,
*the Moores had Caroline Elizabeth
*the Weyler's are scheduled to have Michael David in 3 weeks
*Stephanie and Adrian are having a little girl, Lauralyn Rose sometime within the next two
months
*Mary Hroch is having a little guy to be named Levi
*Kyle and Lindsay just had Jackson about a month ago
*Susan and Rigo had little Anthony at the end of February

As you can see, we know a lot of families that have recently had their babies or are still preparing for their little bundles of joy to arrive. I'm sure I've left someone out... sorry about that! We are so excited for all of you, and we can't wait to see what your beautiful babies look like!

This post if for my amazing Mother-in-law

2008-07-07T13:33:00.000-07:00

Yes, I really did say 'amazing' and 'mother-in-law' in the same sentence...or title rather. She is such an inspiration to me and to Jason as well. Just a quick recap....
Debbie's husband, Steve, passed away February 27, 2007, leaving Debbie a widow at the incredibly young age of 44 years old. Debbie had planned to do gastric bypass surgery with her husband, but after his death was reconsidering. She ended up going through with it and had her surgery on April 2, 2007. Since then she has lost over 160 pounds in fourteen months and has a new found energy that even she can't explain. Debbie had skin removal surgery on June 24th and is doing fantastic. She is just an inspiration to us all because she just continues to persevere even through all the hard times she has had in the past year and a half.

Debbie, if you are reading this, know that I love you so much and I am so proud of all that you have accomplished in your life. Jason and I look up to you so much and we hope to be as strong as you are.

School really is out...for the rest of summer!!!

2008-07-07T13:08:00.000-07:00

I braved summer school this summer....well that's a little melodramatic. It really wasn't all that tough. However, it was my first summer classes ever in my entire college career thus far. I know what you're thinking....first summer ever? if you would have taken summer classes from the get go, then you'd have graduated like 15 years ago! Well not really 15, but maybe 10. Ugh! I get upset when I think about that, so since there is nothing I can about it now, I'm not even going to worry myself over it.
Like I said before, summer school wasn't tough for me; the only tough part was that it was up at Sam in Huntsville and I had to commute...every day...for 3.5 weeks. Luckily, I carpooled with a friend, but still that part royally stunk! I did however, complete 6 hours and received an A in BOTH classes. So, I guess all is well when you look at it from that perspective.

Now that schools over...
I am nannying in Cypress for two very sweet girls, Lauren and Katherine. I look forward to days filled with swimming and endless hours of dress up! Just trying to make enough money to pay for college!

So thats life, this is whats been going on in our crazy lives for the past couple of months!

Movin on up...to the East side (of I-45, that is!)

2008-07-07T12:57:00.001-07:00

Our lease was up at the end of May so the next day after I came back from Arizona we moved from our apartment to a friend's house that he is renting out to us. The new house is only about 5 miles from where our apartment was and its literally 1.8 miles from Jason's work (and Mom and Dad, too). It kind of worked out perfectly for us because we're saving money and we're still able to see what its like to transition into owning a home- like lawncare, more expensive bills, and the general upkeep of the house. We do have roommates (which my mom just thinks is crazy for a married couple to do- but oh well!) Our roommates are Chad and Christy; we get along great and they both work so a lot of times it feels like we don't even have roommates. We've yet to get into any tiffs and really all is well at the house. We're planning on staying through the end of the year, in hopes of purchasing a home of our own soon. We'll see as we get closer to the end of the year and we'll definitely keep you posted!

Visitin' my little Willa Kate!

2008-07-07T12:34:00.000-07:00

So literally the very next day after we returned from our Branson trip, I flew out to visit our niece, Willa Kate. (see blog off to right-hand side)
I arrived in Arizona on Tuesday, May 20th and was able to stay until Saturday. I enjoyed every minute of being there and my time there was filled with lots to do. Willa took to me very quickly and we had a blast together; Amy and Greg were a little worried at first to leave me ( I could tell ) but her and I literally had a blast while they were away at work. We had so much fun that I even convinced them to get away and have a datenight on Friday before I left.
*We went over to Trader Joe's so I could experience its awesomeness, and I picked up a few goodies. I would have loved to get more things, as I personally fell in love with the store and its incredibly cheap prices, but the suitcase was already super packed to begin with so I had to limit my selections.
*We ate dinner at some little hole in the wall Mexican restaurant and an Italian place called Sauce that was phenomenal. If you can believe it, I had pizza that had proscuitto and shaved cantaloupe and honeydew melon. I would never have ordered it on my own, but it was amazing. What a combination, right?
*Next we walked next door, like literally, to this Italian gelato place called Frost. The choices were endless and I think we ended up with Black Cherry, Pistachio, and something else. Mmmmm....
*We went to an art showing that had some incredibly intricate paintings on gourds...yeah, you know like pumpkins and such! I was amazed! Very detailed paintings that I wish I could have gotten a picture of but I'm sure that would have been frowned upon.
*Greg and Amy took on 5 chickens that produce eggs daily so that was an adventure all on their own!

Overall, I had a great time spending the week with them and enjoyed every minute I could to be with my family who I don't get to see as often as I'd like. I love you Barron-Gaffords!

Our family trip to Branson, MO

2008-07-07T11:50:00.000-07:00

So Jason's wonderful grandparents, Louis and Marylyn Gibbs, celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in May. They were so kind as to take all of the family, well most at least to a resort in Branson. We really enjoyed our time there, it was a nice little vacation for all of us and it sort of felt like an anniversary trip for Jason and I too! We left on Friday for our 10 hour drive, and returned home on Monday (our anniversary). If any of you know me, I'm a horrible driving companion because the car literally lulls me to sleep. I was out in no time at all and it made for a very short car ride for me! We really enjoyed ourselves and the fun adventures that we did while we were there. Jason loved the fact that our condo was on a beautiful golf course and he drooled over it every time we walked past the greens. Grandma and Grandpa even hired a photographer to take some great shots of everyone and ordered an anniversary cake for the two couples. Jason and I felt like the weekend was focused on us too much, when the real reason we were there was because of his grandparents. They are two of the sweetest people in the world, and they are a true testament to what unconditional love looks like. Thank you Grandma and Grandpa for setting a wonderful example for Jason and I to strive to follow.

Just some things that happened while we were visiting....
1) We went and visited Dolly Parton's Dixie Stampede....very fun show centered on the rivalry between the North and the South
2) We sailed out on the Showboat Branson Belle. Its a fun little cruise that takes you through the Ozark Mountains and a show is put on while you are served dinner. The food was fantastic but the show was even better! They did something like 48 songs plus costume changes in 8 minutes. It was amazing and great entertainment too! Some of those people really should go on American Idol!
3) Debbie (Jason's mom) rode a go-cart for the first time in over 30 years. James, Jason, and Marylyn had never seen their mom ride and she had a blast. The go-cart place was like 5 stories tall, the lane just wrapped up and up, kind of like the road on the side of a mountain.
4) On Sunday, Jason's grandparents had a wonderful brunch set up for everyone, including some delicious and huge anniversary cakes. Well, to make a long story short, Jason tried to dip and kiss me and his hand landed IN the cake! It was priceless, and at first I thought that his grandparents were going to be upset, but once I looked over at them and saw that their faces were beet red from laughing so hard, I knew that no harm had been done!

We all had such a great time, thanks again Grandma and Grandpa, we love you so much!

School is finally over....for a little while at least!

2008-07-07T11:44:00.000-07:00

Jason and I have been so incredibly busy lately, its been a very tiring last two months. In May I finished my stressful semester of taking 18 hours with 5 A's and 1B. I was pretty proud of myself, but truly wanted all As. I took 6 hours at Lone Star Montgomery and 12 hours at Sam Houston State University. I now have a 4.0 GPA for my Sam Houston education career thus far. I was releaved to be finished with the semester and I've felt like I wrote about 5 books worth of papers for those classes. When I finally graduate I bet I will be able to tell you more than you'd ever want to know about dispositions and developmentally appropriate practices along with everything else education related.
I did make several very cute projects for my classes that I will be able to use in the future when I have my own classroom. I know all of my education professors stressed that not everything has to be so cutesy but I still love cute themes, etc. I made a centers planning board that had a springtime theme to it with ladybugs and bumblebees. I'll try and post pics soon.

I know, I know...

2008-05-11T12:38:00.000-07:00

It's been a LOOOOONNNNG time since I've last updated this blog. So much has happened since I last wrote on this thing (October)!! Jason and I have been blessed with so many wonderful blessings. Here is what has been going on in our lives since we've last updated you guys......

In October, the 23rd to be exact, we were given a beautiful niece. Her name is Willa Kate Barron-Gafford, and while she lives in Tucson, we try our hardest to watch her grow on her very own blog! She is now 6 months and is thriving!!! She was 9 pounds when she was born and she truly just melts my heart!!! Greg, Amy, and little Willa Kate (as Jason and I call her) came to visit in January. Willa was already 12 weeks old, but she took to Jason and I so quickly. She was all smiles the whole time she was here and we loved those few days we were able to spend with them! I will try and post pictures as soon as I can, and as soon as I learn how to!

For Christmas, Jason's loving mother, Debbie, surprised Jason with a Playstation 3!!! He was beside himself and truly couldn't believe it for the first 5 minutes or so. I knew he was getting it the whole time, and I actually was the one who had to go to Best Buy and purchase it for her. I even wrapped it and hit it in the car and dropped it off at Debbie's home when we visited for Thanksgiving. I even got a small video of Jason opening his big gift from her and I'll have to see if I can upload it so that you guys can get a good laugh!! Debbie truly is an amazing woman who has been through so much. She gives me inspiration to be a better woman!

Just a quick note before you read this next month. I have two Jason's in my life; well really more than that since we have A LOT of friends named Jason, but ultimately two really close Jasons. One is Jason Gibbs, he is my husband of almost one year!! The other is Jason Barron, he is my brother who is almost 30! For the most part, when I say 'Jason', I'm referring to the love of my life, most of the time I'll say brother Jason if I am referring to Jason Barron. Okay, read along now....

In January, the Barron-Gaffords came to visit like I mentioned before. We really all had so much fun with them and I was lucky enough to not have to even work the whole time they were here. It was so great, I love and miss them so much!!! My brother Jason also ran the Chevron Houston Half Marathon!! That's right- he ran 13.1 miles!!! The race was a little chilly for those of us cheering him on, but he did amazing! He completed the whole thing in 2 hours and 4 minutes! What a great time J!!! I literally was crying the whole time I was out there cheering him on. The atmosphere and everyone cheering is just really motivating. If you've never experienced the Houston Marathon, I strongly suggest you do. Even if you don't personally know anyone running, get out there and support your healthy Houstonians!!! Brother Jason said he really wanted to give it a try after seeing me complete the whole marathon (26.2 miles) last January 2007. Husband Jason (Gibbs) ran the last 3.5ish with brother Jason (Barron) and he got really invigorated to do it himself. So we've both signed up to run the half marathon next January in 2009. We are looking forward to running it together and continue to live a healthy lifestyle. Jason's mom has even sparked some interest in completing a half marathon in her lifetime and Jason and I are going to hold her to it!

Fall has arrived!!!

2007-10-29T13:16:00.000-07:00

Fall has finally made it to Texas!!! Well, the fall decorations have been up for awhile now, but now the weather is starting to cooperate-finally!!!! It's been clear, crisp and sunny outside with temperatures in the mid to high 70's and no humidity!!!
Fall is my favorite season, I love everything about it; the colors are beautiful, the cooler weather feels great, the pumpkins are abundant, and the leaves are turning magnificent colors. We were invited over to the Savages' house last night for pumpkin carving and we had a great time. Little did we know, there was a competition at stake here. Jason, John and myself were not creative so we found templates on the Internet~I think technically we were disqualified, but who's counting really anyways? It was more a time to get together and relax with friends that we don't get to see as often as we'd like to. I also got to meet the newest addition, Kaden Paul Savage, and I have fallen in love with him!!!! I forgot to take pictures of him, so just check out his own blog down at the bottom right hand of our page.

2007 so far...

2007-10-24T10:23:00.001-07:00

The year 2007 has been a very busy, hard year for Jason and I.
In January, I ran and completed the Chevron Houston Marathon on January 14, 2007. I had some problems with muscle cramping but I accomplished my goal- which was to finish the race. I completed 26.2 miles in 5 hours and 15 minutes. Over 5 hours to complete a marathon seems like a long time to most runners, but I was so proud of myself for accomplishing something that I had set my mind to. It was a very hard race that took a lot of determination and dedication. The very next month Jason and I were hit with a very hard blow. One Sunday afternoon as Jason and I were working out at the gym, Jason's name was called out over the intercom system that he had an important phone call up at the front desk. I knew right away that something had gone terribly wrong because no one ever calls us while we are at the gym. That day Jason's dad, Steve Gibbs, had suffered a massive stroke. He was life-lighted to a hospital in Houston and we made our way down to the hospital. As Jason's family and I all sat around waiting to hear the latest news from the doctors I realized just how lucky I am to be a part of Jason's family. Steve left Earth to be with our Lord (and Grandpa Scoggins) on Tuesday February 27, 2007. Those three days were some of the hardest days of my life. Steve was a wonderful man who was loved by all who knew him. I rejoice knowing that he is in Heaven with our Lord.
March, thankfully was a quite month for us. I'm not really sure we could have taken much more than that. A dear friend of mine, Elizabeth, threw a wonderful bridal shower for me and I was showered, no wait...drenched with wedding gifts. It was so amazing to see my family, and girlfriends there to support me as I entered this new chapter of my life.
In April, Jason and I lost someone dear to us again. Theodore Koteras "Uncle Ted" left us to be with the Lord after battling sickness near the end of his life. I'm so thankful that I had him in my life and he was one of my favorite Uncles. I remember spending weeks with him during the summer breaks and him making the world's best pallets for me to sleep on the floor next to his bed. I miss him dearly, but am thankful that he is no longer in pain.
May was a very busy and fun month for us. We were married on May 19, and it was so great to have friends and family with us to celebrate. We were married at The Woodlands United Methodist Church in the Robb Chapel and our reception was at Spring Chateau. The day completely flew by but we were so blessed to have so many people there to celebrate with us. Jason and I left the next morning for our honeymoon in Riviera Maya, Mexico for a one week stay at an all-inclusive adults only resort. I LOVE children but it was nice to spend that one week alone with Jason and be able to relax the entire time.
June and July were filled with weddings as this was 'the summer of weddings'. We couldn't be more excited for our friends who are joining us in this wonderful adventure called marriage.
August through October have just been filled with Jason and I enjoying each other, still trying to adjust to the whole marriage thing, and hanging out with friends and family, and somehow even MORE weddings. I hope you guys enjoyed reading this, and I will try my hardest to keep it as updated as I can.